Everyone’s favorite summer drink is about to get even more refreshing with a big pitcher of this mango lemonade! Real mango purée is combined with fresh-squeezed lemonade to make the ultimate tropical sipper that’s perfect for any occasion. This easy recipe only calls for four simple ingredients and comes together in just 20 quick minutes — let’s whip up some homemade lemonade and stay cool on hot summer days.
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
That tropical flavor: Take a sip of this classic lemonade with a tropical twist and you’ll think you’re on a beach vacation. This is paradise in a glass.
Made with real ingredients: Fresh is always best, and that’s exactly what you get with this recipe. No processed lemonade concentrate here.
Perfect party drink for all ages: The whole family can enjoy this homemade mango lemonade — adults and kids alike. Of course, if the adults would like to add a kick, I have suggestions for you. *Wink, wink*
Ingredients
Mango: We purée real mango chunks instead of using mango nectar or mango juice. Trust me — it makes all the difference for the best mango flavor.
Lemon juice: Don’t use bottled lemon juice. It lacks the brightness of fresh lemon juice and will give you a subpar lemonade. For the very best mango lemonade, we need freshly squeezed lemon juice.
White sugar: This gives us the perfect touch of sweetness to balance that tart lemon.
Water: As the base of our lemonade, I recommend using filtered water for the best flavor.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Let's show you how to make this easy mango lemonade recipe.
Step 1: We start by boiling water and sugar together until the sugar dissolves to essentially make a simple syrup (photo 1). Some old-fashioned lemonade recipes call for simply stirring the water and granulated sugar together, but this method often leaves a gritty texture because the sugar doesn’t fully dissolve.
Step 2: Now we blend loads of mango pulp with a little water. Just like that, we have our mango purée (photo 2).
Step 3: From here, we pour the lemon juice, mango purée, sugar syrup and cold water into a large pitcher and stir the mixture to combine (photo 3).
That’s it! In three easy steps, we’ve prepared our refreshing mango lemonade.
Now we cover the pitcher with plastic wrap and refrigerate it for a few hours to chill. After refrigerating, we pour the chilled mango lemonade into ice-filled glasses and enjoy every sip of that tropical fruit flavor. It's truly the perfect drink on a hot day.
How to Store
Once we cover and refrigerate the lemonade, we can store it for up to three to five days. That said, I always find fresh lemonade is best when enjoyed within 24 hours.
As lemon juice sits, it starts to lose its brightness, so it won’t taste quite as fresh as time passes.
You can even freeze leftover lemonade. If stored in a freezer-safe container, it should last for up to three months.
Tip: You can partially thaw it to make a frozen mango lemonade slushy for those sweltering summer days. How refreshing does that sound?
Recipe FAQs
Absolutely, frozen mangoes work well in this recipe. When producers freeze fruit, they freeze it at its peak ripeness, so frozen fruit is still wonderfully flavorful. This is an especially great option if ripe fresh mangoes aren’t available.
Look for mangoes with an orange and red hue that slightly gives when you press your fingers into the fruit, similar to an avocado. It shouldn’t be overly mushy or hard, and you don’t want a mango that’s all green.
You bet — it makes a great base for a cocktail! I’ve tried this mango lemonade with 2 ounces vodka as well as poured a splash into a flute and topped with Champagne to make a mango mimosa. Delicious!
I bet it’d also be great with some white rum or tequila. Feel free to experiment and let me know what cocktail creation you love.
Plan for at least eight lemons, though I like to get 10 just to be safe.
Variations and Substitutions
- Substitute those sweet mangoes for another fruit or even a combination. Think strawberries, peaches, raspberries, pineapple, papaya, passion fruit and more — you really can’t go wrong with most fruits.
- Swap water for coconut water for an extra tropical flavor.
- Infuse the syrup with fresh mint leaves to take on a mango mojito flavor.
- Turn this into a mango limeade and use lime juice instead.
- Give it a fizzy finish with a splash of club soda.
Expert Tips
Plan ahead: Lemonade needs time to fully chill, so I recommend not leaving this to the last minute.
Adjust to your taste: If you prefer a more tart lemonade, feel free to add more lemon juice.
Strain the lemon juice first: This removes seeds and excess pulp.
Give it a good stir before serving: As the lemonade sits, the mango will settle a bit on the bottom. That's nothing a little stirring can't fix.
Use a citrus juicer: We have a lot of lemons to juice, so a juice makes the process so much more efficient and saves your hand from cramping. A handheld juice is great, but an electric one is even better and well-worth the purchase if you enjoy making drinks in bulk.
Perfect Pairing
Of course, a glass of this lemonade isn’t complete without a few snacks. Since you clearly love mango, don’t miss my mango-habanero chicken wings and mango salsa with plenty of fresh tortilla chips.
This lemonade is also wonderful with tropical-inspired dishes. Some of my favorites include jerk chicken or jerk pork. Lobster tacos aren’t a bad idea either.
When only the most refreshing drink will do, I hope you make a pitcher of this mango lemonade. With that tropical twist, it’s your perfect summer drink.
Cheers!
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📖 Recipe
Fresh Mango Lemonade
Equipment
- Blender or food processor
- Large pitcher
Ingredients
- 5 ½-6 ½ cups water divided
- 1 ½ cups white sugar
- 1 ½ cups freshly squeezed lemon juice about 8-10 lemons
- 2 cups mango chunks fresh or frozen, thawed if frozen
Instructions
- Combine sugar and 1 ½ cups of water a small saucepan. Heat over medium-high heat until the mixture is near boiling. Periodically stir to dissolve the sugar. Once the sugar dissolves, remove from heat and allow the simple syrup to cool.
- In a blender, purée the mango chunks with ½ cup of water. This should leave you with 3 ½ cups to 4 ½ cups of water.
- Pour the lemon juice, mango purée and simple syrup into a pitcher. Stir in 3 ½ cups of water and taste. If it needs further dilution for your taste, add a little water at a time until it suits your fancy. Cover and refrigerate to chill. Enjoy!
Notes
- Cover the pitcher with plastic wrap and store for up to three to fives days, though it's freshest when enjoyed within 24 hours. Alternatively, you can freeze it for up to three months.
- Strain the lemon juice first to remove excess pulp and seeds.
- Stir before serving. The mango purée may settle at the bottom.
- Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
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